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Batmobile Tour to make stops at Superdome and near Tiger Stadium this weekend

Christian Bale gets ready to roll as Batman in 'The Dark Knight Rises,' the conclusion to director Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy. Several of the Caped Crusaders vehicles -- both classic and current -- will make tour stops in New Orleans and Baton Rouge this coming weekend.
(Photo by Ron Phillips / Warner Bros. Pictures)

Question: Has "Batman" ever played in a 4-3 defense? If so, the New Orleans Saints might want to schedule a quick tryout this week.

If not, they at least might want to make a trip to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome concourse before Monday night's game against the Philadelphia Eagles. That's where they -- and the rest of Who Dat Nation -- can get an up-close look at a collection of Batmobiles that will stop there and at Tiger Stadium this weekend as part of a tour to promote the upcoming home-video release of the feature film "The Dark Knight Rises."

In all, seven of the Caped Crusader's vehicles will be on display at the Superdome on Monday -- ranging from the George Barris-designed Batmobile driven by Adam West in the 1960s television series "Batman," to the Bat-Pod driven by Christian Bale in this year's "Dark Knight Rises." The Batmobile Tour, which is making the rounds of major U.S. sporting events, will be set up on the Concourse level in the northwest corner of the Superdome on Monday (Nov. 5), from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Five of the seven vehicles will also make the trip to Death Valley for the LSU-Alabama game, setting up Saturday (Nov. 3) from 10 a.m. until kickoff (7 p.m.) at the Louisiana State University parade ground at Highland Road and Raphael Semmes Road in Baton Rouge.

The following vehicles will be on display as part of the tour:

The George Barris-designed Batmobile from the 1960s TV show "Batman."

The Batmobile driven by Michael Keaton in 1989's "Batman" and 1992's "Batman Returns."

The Batmobile driven by Val Kilmer in 1995 "Batman Forever."

The Batmobile driven by George Clooney in 1997's "Batman & Robin."

The Black Tumbler, Camouflage Tumbler and Bat-Pod driven by Christian Bale in 2005's "Batman Begins," 2008's "The Dark Knight" and 2012's "The Dark Knight Rises." (Note: The Camouflage Tumbler and Bat-Pod will stop in New Orleans only.)

"The Dark Knight Rises," the final film in director Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, arrives on DVD and Blu-ray on Dec. 4. Among the bonus features on the Blu-ray Combo Pack will be an hourlong featurette titled simply "The Batmobile" and taking an in-depth look at the iconic vehicle.

As a little lagniappe for gearheads, specs on each vehicle follows, provided courtesy of Warner Bros.:

BATMOBILE FROM BATMAN TELEVISION SERIES (1966)

DRIVEN BY ADAM WEST

• Specs:

o Engine - 429 Ford Full Race engine

o Weight - 5500 lbs

o Width: 6 feet x 8 in

o Height: 4 feet x 11 in

o Length: 18 feet x 8 in

• On-Screen Gadgetry and Weapons:

o Batphone

o Batscope

o Bat-turn lever, which pops the bat-chutes

o Chain-slicer or Bat-ram

o Bat-computer

o Batray reactors and laser beams

o Bat smoke screen

• Originally a 1955 Ford Lincoln Futura concept car that cost $250,000, George Barris bought the car for $1 and had three weeks to transform it into Batman's ride.

• The final paint job consisted of 40 coats of super gloss black.

BATMOBILE FROM BATMAN (1989) AND BATMAN RETURNS (1992)

DRIVEN BY MICHAEL KEATON

• Specs:

o 0 to 60 MPH - 3.7 seconds

o Width: 7 foot x 7 in

o Height: 4 feet x 8 in

o Length: 20 feet

• On-Screen Gadgetry and Weapons:

o Grappling hook for high-speed turns

o Twin Browning submachine guns that rise from the body of the Batmobile

o Grenades deployed from the center of the wheels

o Full body armor that is bulletproof and fireproof

o Bat-disc launchers capable of taking out enemies on either side of the Batmobile

o Hydraulic lift for u-turns in tight places

o Voice Command recognition

o Oil slick dispensers

o Smoke dispensers

• Production designer Anton Furst was inspired by Salt Flat racing vehicles and Stingray cars of the 1950s for his version of the Batmobile.

• The vehicle can jettison the bodywork to form the Bat-Missle, narrowing the vehicle down to just the cockpit and turbine engine for quick escapes.

BATMOBILE FROM BATMAN FOREVER (1995)

DRIVEN BY VAL KILMER

• Specs:

o Engine: Chevy 380

o Width: 7 feet x 9 in

o Height: 7 feet x 3 in

o Length: 25 feet

o Independent rear suspension

o Fenders and fins to create a Bat wing or Batman's cape effect

o Illuminated hub caps that stayed static while the car was in motion so that Bat symbol would always be seen up-right.

o Blue LEDs and alternating red and yellow lights for the side ribs to give it a look like it was breathing.

• The full-scale vehicle was powered by a 25-gallon propane tank. When it was fired at full capacity, it could shoot a 25-foot flame out of the rear exhaust.

o Front tires: Axel-less front end with Hoosier racing tires (also used on

o the Batpod)

o Rear tires: Super Swampers

o Width: 9 foot x 2 in

o Height: 4 foot x 11 in

o Length: 15 foot x 2 in

• On-Screen Gadgetry and Weapons:

o Armor plating

o Attack mode, which transports Batman to the center of the vehicle for better maneuverability

o Silent Mode allows Batman to switch to electric power and navigate via night vision. Typically used to evade both enemies and police.

o Auto cannons

o Caltrops, which were rope mines released to explode behind the Batmobile and disable pursuing vehicles.

• This incarnation of the vehicle is the only one that has ever been named something other than a Batmobile, i.e. the Tumbler.

• The creation of the Tumbler first started when production designer Nathan Crowley and director Christopher Nolan bought a bunch of model kits and "kit-bashed" until they came up with a hybrid of a Humvee and Lamborghini.